Mario Kart 9 is a new installment in the Mario Kart series which is the second Mario Kart game and will be exclusive for the Nintendo Switch which will be released in the summer of 2018. This game is the direct sequel of Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This game will become the fifteenth installment in the overall series and the ninth in the main series. There are two new mechanics in this game known as the "water ski mechanic" allowing racers to race on the surface of water or any liquid matter and the "time flow mechanic" which slows down time and slows down objects around the racer allowing them to navigate through the race and dodge obstacles more easily. This game will also be compatible with Amiibo Figurines just like Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Contents

Gameplay

An example of how the gameplay will look like.

The gameplay is like the previous Mario Kart games from Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Tricks, stunts, bikes, and twelve player racing returns from Mario Kart Wii, the hang glider and underwater mechanics return from Mario Kart 7 and vehicle customization also returns from this game as well; now players have a new option for customizing their vehicles which they can now customize their water skis because of the new water ski mechanic and the ability to race in first person view also returns in this game. The anti gravity mechanic, ATV Vehicles, and Mario Kart TV returns from Mario Kart 8; now there are segways added into the vehicle customization for the body frames. Just like in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, racers can hold up to two items and just like Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, players get to switch between items as well. Players collect coins to increase their speed just like in Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8 and now the maximum amount of coins in one race they can collect is now up to 20 and when racers get hit by an item or fall in a pit, they'll lose four coins. The new features in this game are the water ski mechanic which allows racers to race on water so racers can now drive underwater or on the surface of water; while using the water ski mechanic, racers can find even more hidden routes than just driving underwater and just like in anti gravity mode, when racers bump into each other, they get a spin boost too. Another new feature is the time flow mechanic which slows down time and obstacles allowing racers to navigate more easily through the race at certain areas throughout courses. The graphics of the game is now designed by the use of Unreal Engine 4. Mario Kart 9 now introduces Mario Kart Live which players can use Youtube to broadcast live their gameplay online.

Amiibo Compatibility

Amiibo will work in this game just like Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. With Amiibo, Players can not just only unlock new Mii costumes with them but can now also unlock new vehicle parts and can also unlock certain characters as well according to what Amiibo the player is using. The Amiibos that are compatible with this game are: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, Yoshi, Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, Rosalina, Bowser Jr., Diddy Kong, and Sonic. There will also be a new series of Amiibos for this game just like Mario Party 10 which also had a new series of Amiibos as well.

Game Modes

Grand Prix

Just like every Mario Kart game in the franchise, Mario Kart 9 has the Grand Prix as well and works similar to the past three installments. The player will race against eleven computer controlled opponents in four races in one of the eight cups in this game just like in Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. There are 3 engine classes from the start: 50cc (easy com difficulty and slow speed), 100cc (normal com difficulty and average speed), and 150cc (hard com difficulty and fast speed). Mirror (same as 150cc but courses are flipped) is unlocked by completing all of the engine classes by winning in first place in every cup, 200cc (extreme com difficulty and extremely fast speed) is unlocked after winning in first place in every cup in Mirror and obtaining 3 stars in every cup in every engine class including Mirror and 200cc Mirror (same as 200cc but courses are flipped) is unlocked after winning in first place and obtaining 3 stars in every cup in 200cc. Players can unlock new vehicle parts by collecting coins in each race and same with the other modes as well or using Amiibo. The point system works the same as it does in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Time Trials

Once again just like every Mario Kart game in the series, Time Trial mode once again returns in this game. The player can complete any selected course as fast as possible and beat their own records. Players can now upload their records on Facebook or Twitter; players will be able to race 11 ghosts at a time as well.

Free Run (New)

Free Run is a new mode in the Mario Kart series. It allows players to freely cruise around courses as long as they want to. This mode is recommended for beginners and is a great mode to practice racing on courses. Players also have the options to select which engine class and decide how much computer players can be in during this mode; players can choose up to eleven computer players at once and can set their difficulty to easy, normal, or hard; once 200cc is unlocked, players will now have the option to set the computer difficulty to extreme.

VS Race

Single Race

Team Race

Battle

Balloon Battle - This classic mode once again returns works the same as it does in Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Racers must use items to pop or steal their opponents balloons to gain points and if racers lose all their balloons, they'll start over and lose some points. At the end of the battle, whoever has the most points wins.

Single Battle

Team Battle

Balloon Thief (New) - This is a new battle mode in the Mario Kart series. In this mode, racers only use mushrooms, triple mushrooms, golden mushrooms, feathers, and stars. The objective is to steal your opponents balloons and at the end of the battle, whoever has the most balloons wins.

Single Battle

Team Battle

Bob-omb Blast - This mode originated from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. This mode works the same as it does in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Single Battle

Team Battle

Shine Thief - Another mode which originated from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. This mode works the same as it does in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. During Team Battles, whoever has the Shine Sprite will have the Shine Sprite for them and their team; the other team must use items to attack the racer with the Shine Sprite. At the end of the battle, the last racer who has the Shine Sprite team will win.

Single Battle

Team Battle

Renegade Roundup - A mode that originated from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This mode works the same as it does in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and this is the only mode which is Team Battle only. Before the battle, there will be a roulette to determine which team is the offense team and which team is the defense team.

Survival (New) - This is another new battle mode in the Mario Kart series. In this mode, racers will have balloons just like in Balloon Battle but however if a racer loses all of his/her balloons, they'll be eliminated from the battle. The last racer surviving wins. During team battles, the first team that loses all of their balloons loses.

Single Battle

Team Battle

Star Coin Runners (New) - This Mode works the same as coin runners in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7. Racers must collect as many Star Coins as they can in this mode; racers can also steal their opponent's star coins if they hit them with an item. Whoever has the most Star Coins at the end of the battle wins.

Single Battle

Team Battle

Star Coin Rush (New) - This Mode works the same as Shine Runners in Mario Kart DS After every 60 seconds during the battle, racers with the least amount of Star Coins will get eliminated.

Single Battle

Team Battle

Online Gameplay

VS Race

Battle

Playable Characters

Altogether there are 70 characters altogether including DLC; twelve from the start, eighteen unlockable, fourty DLC, and twenty three new ones. The Unlockable characters will be unlocked randomly by winning a grand prix race just like in Mario Kart 8 and some of them can also be unlocked by using Amiibo; in order to unlock Mii, you must complete any engine class; you can now customize your Mii in this game by choosing the voice you want them to have, customizing their outfit, giving them accessories, and just like in Mario Kart DS, you can customize their emblem but however, custom emblems are turned off during online play.

Items

Gives the Player a random item. The items are given depending on what position the player is in.

Double Item Box

Gives the Player two random items in both item slots. These item boxes are rare.

Coin

Increases the player's top speed as more are collected. The maximum amount of coins players can get in a single race is 20.

Star Coin

This item appears in Star Coin Runners and Star Coin Rush in Battle Mode only. They are scattered everywhere in the arena which racers must collect them. If racers are hit by an item or fall into a pit, they lose some of their Star Coins.

Found in Item Boxes

Item

Description

Positions Given

Green Shell

These are one of the most common items in the Mario Kart series. This item just goes straight forward and bounces off walls and certain objects and knocks over any racer it makes contact with.

1st - 6th

Triple Green Shells

Three green shells surround the racer and orbit around them. The racer can use three green shells instead of just one at any time and they can also be used as a barrier around the racer.

3rd - 10th

Red Shell

This shell targets down the nearest racer ahead of them and knocks them over. When thrown backwards, the racer can slightly change it's angle when turning. Now when racers are hang gliding and this item is used, it has a parachute of it's own.

2nd - 6th

Triple Red Shells

Just like the triple green shells, they surround, orbit around the racer, and can be used as a barrier except they are three red shells which racers can use an advantage to get three racers ahead of them.

3rd - 12th

Spiny Shell

This shell remains airborne and targets down any racer in first place and explodes on them; any racer in it's path will get knocked over.

4th - 10th

Banana

Another common item in the Mario Kart Series. This item just stays stationary once dropped backwards or thrown foward. Racers will spin out of control if they slip on this item.

1st - 6th

Triple Bananas

Three Bananas which surround and orbit around the racer. They can be used as a barrier around the racer and they act like a normal banana when used but the racer gets to use three of them.

1st - 8th

Fake Item Box

A red replica of the actual item boxes however, these will knock racers over instead if they are touched. This item hasn't been in Mario Kart since Mario Kart Wii.

1st - 6th

Mushroom

These items gives the racer a boost of speed.

1st - 10th

Triple Mushrooms

Gives the racer three mushrooms which surround and orbit around the racer which allows the racer to use three boosts of speed.

3rd - 12th

Golden Mushroom

These Special Mushrooms gives the racer unlimited boosts of speed for a short period of time.

7th - 12th

Blooper

This item sprays ink on the racers and partially covers the player's screen to make it hard for the player to see.

3rd - 8th

Boo

This item turns the racer invisible for a short period of time and steals an item from another racer.

1st - 8th

Fire Flower

This item allows the racer to throw unlimited amount of fire balls for a short period of time.

3rd - 8th

Boomerang Flower

This item allows the racer to throw a boomerang up to three times.

3rd - 8th

Super Leaf

This item gives the racer a tanooki tail for a short period of time which allows them to knock over nearby opponents or certain obstacles.

1st - 6th

Potted Piranha Plant

When used, this item goes in front of the racer which chomps down anything in it's path and gives the racer a boost everytime it knocks over opponents or certain obstacles.

4th - 8th

Super Horn

When used, this item will create one loud shockwave powerful enough to knock over opponents or certain objects nearby. This item can even blow up Spiny Shells.

1st - 6th

Bullet Bill

This item turns the racer into a speeding flying Bullet Bill for a short period of time which knocks over anyone in it's path while it makes it's way back into the race.

9th - 12th

Bob-omb

This item is very explosive. When thrown or placed down, they will follow the nearest racer and blow up creating an explosion which knocks over nearby racers.

3rd - 8th

Star

This item makes the racer invincible and gives them faster speed for a short period of time and this item also allows the racer to knock over other racers in their path.

7th - 12th

Lightning Bolt

This item shrinks opponents for a short period of time which also slows down their speed and makes them drop their items. Opponents will grow back to normal size in order of what place they're in. Normal sized racers can also flatten them.

10th - 12th

Feather

This Item appears in battle mode only. This item allows racers to perform a high spin jump which allows racers to evade items used by other racers, steal their opponents' balloons, and more.

N/A

Coin

Gives the Racer two coins.

1st - 6th

New Items

Item

Description

Positions Given

Mega Magnet

A Magnet Item which creates an electric shield around the racer which attracts coins, item boxes, dropped mushrooms or dropped stars, and is invulnerable to Lightning.

1st - 12th

Poison Mushroom

This item tries to get close to the nearest racer and slows them down for a short period of time. This item does not effect the user of this item unless if they drive into it.

1st - 6th

Gold Flower

This item works the same as the fire flower but racers throw golden fire balls which explodes on impact and the explosion will turn nearby items into coins.

3rd - 8th

Super Bell

This item gives the racer claws in front of them and a cat tail for a short period of time. With this item, racers can use them to tackle down multiple opponents at once and every time they use this item, they get a speed boost. This item made it's first appearance in Super Mario 3D World.

5th - 9th

Strobe Camera

A camera item with a strobe light. This item blinds players for a split second if they get caught in the flash.

Courses

Altogether, there are 32 race courses total; 16 Nitro courses and 16 retro courses. The images of the courses are not the actual images, they are just there to make it how the course is like.

Nitro Courses

Mushroom Cup

Flower Cup

Star Cup

Special Cup

Mario Kart Circuit

Mario Circuit

Wario Prison

Sky Station

Sky Terminal

Shy Guy Carnival

Tropical Cove

DK Treehouse

Bowser Jr.'s Armada

Toad Studios

Cyber Highway

Digital Anti-City

Nightmare Inn

Bowser's Castle

Snow Snow Village

Dragon Valley

Cheep Cheep Aquarium

Rainbow Road

Mario Kart Circuit - A race course that resembles Mario Kart Stadium from Mario Kart 8 which the setting changes everytime it's raced on just like how the layout changes in Excitebike Area and the seasons change in Animal Crossing in the downloadable packs in Mario Kart 8. The different settings are dawn, day, dusk, night, day (cloudy), day (cloudy and raining), and night (raining).

Mario Circuit - The first course which will be in the E3 2017 demo. This race track's start/finish line is in a Warp pipe tunnel and there's a moat around Peach's Castle which racers can ski on or drive underwater and racers have the option to race inside Peach's Castle just like in Mario Kart 7.

Toad Studios - A race course that takes place at night at a red carpet, inside a fancy grand lobby which leads to a movie theatre, and in a night city with neon lights which resembles Hollywood Los Angeles California.

Tropical Cove - The second course which will be in the E3 2017 demo. This course takes place at a tropical beach resort with a tropical cave, a volcano, a residential area, and an indoor public pool.

Dragon Valley - The third and final course which will be in the E3 2017 demo. This course is oriental themed and resembles Dragon Driftway from The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack with cliffs, hills, waterfalls, bridges, a bridge resembling the Great Wall of China, and Asian Architecture buildings. This course also has a dragon which racers will race on eventually throughout a lap around the course and after that, racers land on a rock platform and of a Time Flow and Hang Glider ramp where racers must dodge the Chinese fire crackers.

Snow Snow Village - A small desolate snowy village near mountains. This course has a large frozen lake which is at the end of the town, has a cabin hotel, a dock, a frozen cave filled with water which racers can ski on eventually or remain underwater also with an anti gravity section which is a loop in the cave, and a cannon which activates the hang glider mechanic which leads racers onto the roofs of houses which also activates the anti gravity mechanic.

Cyber Highway - A computer designed city which resembles Tron Legacy with lots of Anti Gravity sections because the roads are upside down or sideways most throughout the course, a hexagonal chamber which is a large Time Flow section with lasers that fire away on the track, and a long wide straight road which is also a Time Flow section with cyber vehicles heading the opposite direction of the racers.

Wario Prison - A Prison/Metal Factory like course with references to Wario. This course has conveyor belts, hydraulic machines, a hallway with cells of a prison, a time flow section with cameras that shoot lasers just like the bowser statues in Bowser's Castle in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and an outside area where racers enter an anti gravity section onto the prison walls.

DK Treehouse - A jungle stage which racers enter anti gravity sections where they race on tree trunks and they race into multiple treehouses and ski on a large river that leads them back to the start/finish line which is an anti gravity section on a tree trunk heading upwards.

Nightmare Inn - A haunted hotel with twisted hallways, an underground catacomb with a river where racers can driver underwater or ski on it, an underground chamber with large cob webs which act like the red mushroom platforms in Mushroom Gorge in Mario Kart Wii, and a dark cemetery.

Cheep Cheep Aquarium - An aquarium themed race track with a Yoshi Museum, and underwater with cheep cheeps, bloopers, sushis, and a lot of underwater creatures from Super Mario games.

Sky Station - A race course that takes place in the sky with planets, a station, and Starship Mario from Super Mario Galaxy 2 can be seen as well.

Bowser Jr.'s Armada - A race course that resembles Airship Fortress from Mario Kart DS. This course features many airships and many road cautions as well.

Bowser's Castle - The brand new Bowser's Castle in this installment, It's said to be the most insane Bowser's Castle yet.

Rainbow Road - The brand new Rainbow Road for this installment, It's said to be the best Rainbow Road ever. Just like Mario Kart 7, this Rainbow Road has sections as well and so far is the only course in Mario Kart 9 to have sections; this Rainbow Road will also be the first Rainbow Road that the race does not end where it started.

Retro Courses

Altogether, there are two returning courses from Super Mario Kart, one from Mario Kart 64, two from Mario Kart: Super Circuit, two from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, two from Mario Kart DS, two from Mario Kart Wii, two from Mario Kart 7, and three from Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The courses are now much more redesigned than their original appearances. The Hang Glider Mechanic and the Under Water Mechanic appear in most of these courses just like Mario Kart 7's retro courses. Unlike Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Anit Gravity Mechanic doesn't just appear in some courses but now appears in all of these courses, and some courses are now added with the Water Ski Mechanic and the Time Flow Mechanic.

Shell Cup

Banana Cup

Leaf Cup

Lightning Cup

DS Figure 8 Circuit

Wii DK Summit

Wii DK Snowboard Cross

Wii U Sunshine Airport

SNES Mario Circuit 4

SNES Choco Island 1

N64 Wario Stadium

DS Shroom Ridge

Wii U Cloudtop Cruise

GBA Riverside Park

GCN Mushroom City

3DS Wario Shipyard

3DS Wario's Galleon

GCN Bowser's Castle

Wii U Toad Harbor

Wii U Toad Harbour

3DS Rock Rock Mountain

3DS Alpine Pass

Wii Dry Dry Ruins

GBA Rainbow Road

Battle Courses

It's confirmed that there will be 14 Battle courses all together; 7 new ones and 7 returning ones.

Trivia

This is the third Mario Kart game to be in HD and the first Mario Kart game to use Unreal Engine 4.

This is the second Mario Kart game to be released on the Switch.

Outside of the Mario & Sonic series and the Super Smash Bros. series, this is the first Mario Kart game to feature Sonic the Hedgehog as a playable character.

This is the fourth Mario Kart game to feature a character or characters not from the Mario series. The first is Mario Kart DS which features R.O.B., the second is Mario Kart 8 which features Link from The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack and Villager and Isabelle from the Animal Crossing: New Leaf x Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack, and the third is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

This is the third Mario Kart game to feature Mario Kart TV.

This is the fifth Mario Kart game to feature Miis as playable characters.

This is the second Mario Kart game to feature DLC.

The Hang Glider and Underwater Mechanic introduced in Mario Kart 7 returns in this game and the Anti-Gravity Mechanic introduced in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe returns in this game as well.

This game will make the Nintendo Switch to be the first Nintendo console to have more than one Mario Kart game.